READINGS FRIDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (or 11 Jan)

Invitatory Psalm & BACK



Psalm 38: Hebrew English     Then BACK

ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν — καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

Even Years: Baruch 4:5-29 5 Θαρσεῖτε, λαός μου, μνημόσυνον Ισραηλ. 6 ἐπράθητε τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὐκ εἰς ἀπώλειαν, διὰ δὲ τὸ παροργίσαι ὑμᾶς τὸν θεὸν παρεδόθητε τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις· 7 παρωξύνατε γὰρ τὸν ποιήσαντα ὑμᾶς θύσαντες δαιμονίοις καὶ οὐ θεῷ. 8 ἐπελάθεσθε δὲ τὸν τροφεύσαντα ὑμᾶς θεὸν αἰώνιον, ἐλυπήσατε δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκθρέψασαν ὑμᾶς Ιερουσαλημ· 9 εἶδεν γὰρ τὴν ἐπελθοῦσαν ὑμῖν ὀργὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Ἀκούσατε, αἱ πάροικοι Σιων, ἐπήγαγέν μοι ὁ θεὸς πένθος μέγα· 10 εἶδον γὰρ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῶν υἱῶν μου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων, ἣν ἐπήγαγεν αὐτοῖς ὁ αἰώνιος· 11 ἔθρεψα γὰρ αὐτοὺς μετ' εὐφροσύνης, ἐξαπέστειλα δὲ μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ καὶ πένθους. 12 μηδεὶς ἐπιχαιρέτω μοι τῇ χήρᾳ καὶ καταλειφθείσῃ ὑπὸ πολλῶν· ἠρημώθην διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας τῶν τέκνων μου, διότι ἐξέκλιναν ἐκ νόμου θεοῦ, 13 δικαιώματα δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οὐδὲ ἐπορεύθησαν ὁδοῖς ἐντολῶν θεοῦ οὐδὲ τρίβους παιδείας ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ ἐπέβησαν. 14 ἐλθάτωσαν αἱ πάροικοι Σιων, καὶ μνήσθητε τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῶν υἱῶν μου καὶ θυγατέρων, ἣν ἐπήγαγεν αὐτοῖς ὁ αἰώνιος· 15 ἐπήγαγεν γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἔθνος μακρόθεν, ἔθνος ἀναιδὲς καὶ ἀλλόγλωσσον, οἳ οὐκ ᾐσχύνθησαν πρεσβύτην οὐδὲ παιδίον ἠλέησαν 16 καὶ ἀπήγαγον τοὺς ἀγαπητοὺς τῆς χήρας καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν θυγατέρων τὴν μόνην ἠρήμωσαν. 17 ἐγὼ δὲ τί δυνατὴ βοηθῆσαι ὑμῖν; 18 ὁ γὰρ ἐπαγαγὼν τὰ κακὰ ὑμῖν ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν. 19 βαδίζετε, τέκνα, βαδίζετε, ἐγὼ γὰρ κατελείφθην ἔρημος· 20 ἐξεδυσάμην τὴν στολὴν τῆς εἰρήνης, ἐνεδυσάμην δὲ σάκκον τῆς δεήσεώς μου, κεκράξομαι πρὸς τὸν αἰώνιον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου. - 21 θαρσεῖτε, τέκνα, βοήσατε πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ δυναστείας, ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν. 22 ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤλπισα ἐπὶ τῷ αἰωνίῳ τὴν σωτηρίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ ἦλθέν μοι χαρὰ παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου ἐπὶ τῇ ἐλεημοσύνῃ, ἣ ἥξει ὑμῖν ἐν τάχει παρὰ τοῦ αἰωνίου σωτῆρος ὑμῶν. 23 ἐξέπεμψα γὰρ ὑμᾶς μετὰ πένθους καὶ κλαυθμοῦ, ἀποδώσει δέ μοι ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς μετὰ χαρμοσύνης καὶ εὐφροσύνης εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. 24 ὥσπερ γὰρ νῦν ἑωράκασιν αἱ πάροικοι Σιων τὴν ὑμετέραν αἰχμαλωσίαν, οὕτως ὄψονται ἐν τάχει τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν σωτηρίαν, ἣ ἐπελεύσεται ὑμῖν μετὰ δόξης μεγάλης καὶ λαμπρότητος τοῦ αἰωνίου. 25 τέκνα, μακροθυμήσατε τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπελθοῦσαν ὑμῖν ὀργήν· κατεδίωξέν σε ὁ ἐχθρός σου, καὶ ὄψει αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἐν τάχει καὶ ἐπὶ τραχήλους αὐτῶν ἐπιβήσῃ. 26 οἱ τρυφεροί μου ἐπορεύθησαν ὁδοὺς τραχείας, ἤρθησαν ὡς ποίμνιον ἡρπασμένον ὑπὸ ἐχθρῶν. - 27 θαρσήσατε, τέκνα, καὶ βοήσατε πρὸς τὸν θεόν, ἔσται γὰρ ὑμῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐπάγοντος μνεία. 28 ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐγένετο ἡ διάνοια ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ πλανηθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, δεκαπλασιάσατε ἐπιστραφέντες ζητῆσαι αὐτόν. 29 ὁ γὰρ ἐπαγαγὼν ὑμῖν τὰ κακὰ ἐπάξει ὑμῖν τὴν αἰώνιον εὐφροσύνην μετὰ τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν.

Odd Years: Isaiah 65:14-24 14 הִנֵּה עֲבָדַי יָרֹנּוּ מִטּוּב לֵב וְאַתֶּם תִּצְעֲקוּ מִכְּאֵב לֵב וּמִשֵּׁבֶר רוּחַ תְּיֵלִילוּ׃ 15 וְהִנַּחְתֶּם שִׁמְכֶם לִשְׁבוּעָה לִבְחִירַי וֶהֱמִיתְךָ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וְלַעֲבָדָיו יִקְרָא שֵׁם אַחֵר׃ 16 אֲשֶׁר הַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ בָּאָרֶץ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בֵּאלֹהֵי אָמֵן וְהַנִּשְׁבָּע בָּאָרֶץ יִשָּׁבַע בֵּאלֹהֵי אָמֵן כִּי נִשְׁכְּחוּ הַצָּרוֹת הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת וְכִי נִסְתְּרוּ מֵעֵינָי׃ 17 כִּי־הִנְנִי בוֹרֵא שָׁמַיִם חֲדָשִׁים וָאָרֶץ חֲדָשָׁה וְלֹא תִזָּכַרְנָה הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת וְלֹא תַעֲלֶינָה עַל־לֵב׃ 18 כִּי־אִם־שִׂישׂוּ וְגִילוּ עֲדֵי־עַד אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי בוֹרֵא כִּי הִנְנִי בוֹרֵא אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם גִּילָה וְעַמָּהּ מָשׂוֹשׂ׃ 19 וְגַלְתִּי בִירוּשָׁלַםִ וְשַׂשְׂתִּי בְעַמִּי וְלֹא־יִשָּׁמַע בָּהּ עוֹד קוֹל בְּכִי וְקוֹל זְעָקָה׃ 20 לֹא־יִהְיֶה מִשָּׁם עוֹד עוּל יָמִים וְזָקֵן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְמַלֵּא אֶת־יָמָיו כִּי הַנַּעַר בֶּן־מֵאָה שָׁנָה יָמוּת וְהַחוֹטֶא בֶּן־מֵאָה שָׁנָה יְקֻלָּל׃ 21 וּבָנוּ בָתִּים וְיָשָׁבוּ וְנָטְעוּ כְרָמִים וְאָכְלוּ פִּרְיָם׃ 22 לֹא יִבְנוּ וְאַחֵר יֵשֵׁב לֹא יִטְּעוּ וְאַחֵר יֹאכֵל כִּי־כִימֵי הָעֵץ יְמֵי עַמִּי וּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם יְבַלּוּ בְחִירָי׃ 23 לֹא יִיגְעוּ לָרִיק וְלֹא יֵלְדוּ לַבֶּהָלָה כִּי זֶרַע בְּרוּכֵי יְהוָה הֵמָּה וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶם אִתָּם׃ 24 וְהָיָה טֶרֶם־יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה עוֹד הֵם מְדַבְּרִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמָע׃

Even Years: Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 49 on the Old Testament, 2-3 (CCL 41, 614-616) Interrogatus autem dominus iesus quod esset opus dei, respondit: hoc est opus dei, ut credatis in eum quem ille misit. poterat dicere pius dominus noster: iustitia est opus dei. numquid ergo nos praesumere aliquid conducti contra patrem familias ausi sumus? si iustitia est opus dei, sicut ego dixi, quomodo erit opus dei quod dominus dixit ut credatur in eum, si ipsa sit iustitia credere in eum? 'sed ecce' inquis 'a domino audiuimus: hoc est opus dei, ut credatis in eum. a te audiuimus, quod opus dei sit iustitia. proba nobis credere in christum, hanc esse iustitiam'. uidetur tibi, quoniam iam respondeo quaerenti et iusta flagitanti, uidetur tibi credere in christum non esse iustitiam? quid est ergo? impone huic operi nomen. procul dubio si bene consideras quod audisti, responsurus es mihi: 'ista fides uocatur. credere in christum, fides uocatur'. accipio quod loqueris, credere in christum, fides uocatur. audi et tu alium scripturae locum: iustus ex fide uiuit. facite iustitiam, credite: iustus ex fide uiuit. difficile est ut male uiuat qui bene credit. credite ex toto corde, credite non claudicantes, non haesitantes, non contra ipsam fidem humanis suspicionibus argumentantes. fides appellata est ab eo quia fit quod dicitur. duae sillabae sonant, cum dicitur fides. prima sillaba est a facto, secunda a dicto. interrogo ergo te utrum credas? dicis: 'credo'. fac quod dicis, et fides est. ego enim respondentis uocem audire possum, cor credentis uidere non possum. sed numquid ego ad uineam conduxi, qui cor uidere non possum? nec ego conduco, nec ego opus indico, nec ego denarium mercedem praeparo. cooperarius uester sum. pro uiribus quas ille donare dignatur, in uinea laboro. quo autem animo laborem, qui me conduxit uidet. mihi enim, ait apostolus, minimum est ut a uobis iudicer. et uos uocem meam potestis audire, non potestis cor uidere. omnes cor nostrum deo uidendum proponamus et opus ex animo faciamus. conducentem non offendamus, ut libera fronte mercedem accipiamus. et nos, carissimi, uidebimus inuicem corda nostra, sed postea. nunc autem adhuc tenebras mortalitatis huius circumferimus, et ad lucernam scripturae ambulamus, sicut dicit apostolus petrus: habemus certiorem propheticum sermonem, cui benefacitis intendentes tamquam lucernae in obscuro loco, donec dies lucescat, et lucifer oriatur in cordibus uestris. proinde, carissimi, propter ipsam fidem qua credimus in deum, in comparatione infidelium dies sumus. in infidelitate nox cum ipsis fuimus, modo lux, dicente apostolo: fuistis aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in domino. tenebrae in uobis, lux in domino. item in alio loco: omnes enim uos filii lucis estis, et filii diei; non sumus noctis, neque tenebrarum. sicut in die honeste ambulemus. dies ergo in comparatione infidelium. in comparatione uero illius diei, quando resurgent mortui et corruptibile hoc induetur incorruptione et mortale hoc induetur immortalitate, adhuc nox sumus. nobis tamquam iam in die dicit apostolus ioannes: dilectissimi, filii dei sumus. et tamen quia adhuc nox est, quid sequitur? et nondum apparuit quid erimus. scimus, quia cum apparuerit similes ei erimus, quoniam uidebimus eum sicuti est. sed ista merces est, non opus. uidebimus eum sicuti est, ipsa merces est. tunc erit dies, quo clarior esse non possit. nunc ergo in isto iam die honeste ambulemus; in ista adhuc nocte non de inuicem iudicemus. uidete enim et ipsum apostolum paulum qui dixit: sicut in die honeste ambulemus, non resultare neque dissonare a coapostolo suo petro qui dixit: cui benefacitis intendentes, sermoni scilicet diuino, tamquam lucernae in obscuro loco, donec dies lucescat, et lucifer oriatur in cordibus uestris.

Odd Years: Maximus of Turin, Sermon 100 on Epiphany Evangelica Scriptura refert Dominum ad Iordanem baptismi causa venisse, et in eodem flumine mysteriis se caelestibus consecrari voluisse. In the Gospels, Scripture reports that the Lord made his way to the Jordan to be baptized, and that he wished himself to be consecrated with heavenly mysteries in the same river. Ratio enim exigit, ut post diem natalis dominici—licet interpositis annis, eodem autem tempore—haec festivitas sequeretur, quam et ipsam festivitatem natalem appellandam puto. Reason demands that after the birthday of the Lord, at the same period of the year, even though a space of years intervened, this festival should follow, which I think ought also to be called a festival of birth. Then he was born to men, today he is reborn in the sacraments; then he was born of a virgin, today he is generated through a mystery. Tunc enim natus hominibus, hodie renatus est sacramentis; tunc per Virginem editus, hodie per mysterium generatus. Ibi, cum secundum hominem nascitur, mater eum Maria sinu circumfovet; hic, cum secundum mysterium gignitur, Pater eum Deus voce complectitur; ait enim: Hic est enim Filius meus, in quo bene complacui; ipsum audite. Mater ergo partui molli blanditur gremio, Pater Filio pio testimonio famulatur; mater, inquam, eum adorandum Magis ingerit, Pater colendum gentibus manifestat. Then when he is born in human fashion, his mother Mary fondles him in her bosom; now when he is generated according to a mystery, God the Father embraces him with his voice; for he says: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; hear him. The mother therefore cherishes her offspring in her soft lap, the Father attends on the Son with affectionate witness. The mother, I say, presents him to the Magi for adoration; the Father manifests him to the nations for worship. Igitur Dominus Iesus venit ad baptismum, et corpus suum sanctum voluit aqua dilui. Therefore the Lord Jesus came to baptism, and willed to have his body washed with water. Dicat fortasse aliquis: "Qui sanctus est, quare voluit baptizari?" Audi ergo! Ideo baptizatur Christus, non ut sanctificetur aquis, sed ut aquas ipse sanctificet, et purificatione sui purificet fluenta illa quae tangit. Consecratio enim Christi consecratio maior est elementi. Perhaps some one will say: 'He who is holy, why did he wish to be baptized?' Pay attention therefore! Christ is baptized, not that he may be sanctified in the waters, but that he himself may sanctify the waters, and by his own purification may purify those streams which he touches. For the consecration of Christ is the greater consecration of another element. Intellego ego mysterium: ita enim et columna ignis praecessit per mare Rubrum, ut intrepidum iter Israel filii sequerentur; et ipsa prior per aquas gressa est, ut venientibus post se viandi semitam praepararet. Quod factum, sicut Apostolus dicit, mysterium baptismi fuit. Baptismum plane quodammodo fuit, ubi homines nubes operiebat, unda portabat. I understand the mystery: for the column of fire went first through the Red Sea, that the children of Israel might tread the hazardous journey without fear; and it, itself, went first through the waters, so that for those coming after it, it might prepare a way to pass. Which event, as the Apostle says, was a symbol of baptism. Clearly baptism in some sort of way has been carried out when the cloud overshadowed the men, and the wave bore them. Sed haec omnia operatus est Christus Dominus idem qui et modo, qui, sicut tunc per mare filios Israel in ignis columna praecessit, ita nunc per baptismum christianos populos in corporis sui columna praecedit. Ipsa, inquam, est columna, quae tunc lumen sequentium oculis praestitit, modo lucem credentium cordibus subministrat; tunc in fluctibus undarum solidavit semitam, modo in lavacro fidei vestigia corroborat. But the one who performed all these things was still the same Lord Christ, who as he then went before the children of Israel in a pillar of fire, now by baptism goes before Christian peoples in the pillar of his body. This is the very pillar I maintain which then supplied light to the eyes of those who followed, and who now furnishes light to the hearts of believers; who then in the waves of the sea made firm the pathway, and now in the laver strengthens the footprints of faith. Cum enim Salvator abluitur, iam tunc in nostrum baptismum tota aqua mundatur, et purificatur fons, ut secuturis postmodum populis lavacri gratia ministretur. Praecedit ergo Christus per baptismum, ut christiani post eum confidenter populi subsequantur. For when the Saviour is washed, then already for our baptism all water is cleansed and the fount purified, that the grace of the laver may be administered to the peoples that come after. Christ therefore takes the lead in baptism, so that Christian peoples may follow after him with confidence.

Prayer